Menu

Free Knitting Pattern: Katja Mittens

Named after my little sis and her nautical star tattoo, these are some cozy mittens. They have bold nautical stars on the front, and use duplicate stitching to add a bit of color. The palms have simple but classy striping which is also on the thumbs. The thumbs have an optional button hole to make phone use a bit easier, because my sister loves to text. I used Noro Kureyon in color #253 for the base because I wanted something a little more than white. I then used Ístex Létt-Lopi in black because it has a similar texture and weight to the Kureyon, but comes in solid colors. I used scraps of Kureyon leftover from another project to duplicate stitch in the colored area of the stars.

Yarn

150y worsted weight yarn for main color (Mittens shown in pattern use 1.5 balls of Noro Kureyon in color #253)

3 scraps of yarn about 3y in length for duplicate stitching (Mittens shown in pattern use scraps of Noro Kureyon in color #211)

Notions

Size 6 double-pointed needles (or size to achieve gauge)

Tapestry needle for closing the mittens and duplicate stitching

Scrap yarn to hold thumb stitches on

Size

Mitten body – 9in long by 4in wide

Thumb – 3.5in tall by 1.5in wide

Gauge 25 columns and 28 rows in a 4in by 4in square

Notes

In this pattern there are many long stretches where you will have to carry one colourbehind the other. To keep your stitches even, twist the yarn not in use behind your working yarn about every 4-6stitches with the working yarn before you go to knit with it.

This pattern uses a Latvian Braid to create a stable cuff. If you do not want to do this,you can just use garter stitch knitting one round, purling one round, knitting one round, and purling one round before starting the chart.

A tutorial with pictures of this method can be found in my blog at the following URL: http://mylifeisathome.blogspot.com/2010/07/latvian-braid-tutorial-and-othersuch.html

Pattern

Cast on 48 stitches with your main color.

Divide among 3 double-pointed needles and knit one round.

Purl one round.

The next row is the setup row for the Latvian Braid. Knit one stitch in your main color. Knit the second stitch in your contrast color. Repeat these two stitches for the rest of the row.

Over the next two rows work the Latvian Braid.

Begin the chart.

In the first row, there is an increase on the palm side of the mitten, bringing you to a total of 49 stiches.

Continue on with the charted pattern, noting that the thumb increases begin in row 17.

Those are done between the black borders of the mittens, so no stitch markers are necessary. Simply increase stitches in each row as charted until you are on row 29 of the mitten. When you get to the thumb stitches, place all 19 onto some scrap yarn using your tapestry needle and set aside to work after you finish the mitten body.

Continue working mitten body as charted, starting decreases in row 54. In the final decrease row, note there is only one decrease on the front of the mitten in order to even out the amount of stitches on each side of the mitten. You should have 16 stitches left.

Divide them evenly between two needles, with all of the stitches for the top of the mitten on one, and the palm on the other. Finish by Kitchener Stitching the 16 stitches together with your main color and weave in all ends.

Then, pick up the 19 thumb stitches and divide them among your 3 needles. Continue the chart, starting with row 13 of the thumb. In thumb row 21 there is an optional button hole thumb for easier phone use. This is worked just like a button hole by casting off 5 stitches in the first row, and then in the next row casting those back on right over the cast off stitches using the backwards loop method. If you do not wish to include the thumb hole, work these stiches in pattern, mirroring what is done on the other side of the thumb.

Begin decreases inthumb row 26. In the final row, decrease the extra stitch as charted. Place the 6 stitches left onto two needles, one with the front stitches and one with the back stitches. Kitchener stitch these 6 stitches together using your main color and weave in all ends.

Then knit the other mitten, using the other chart, and if desired, reversing the Latvian Braid rows to get a braid going in the opposite direction.

When both mittens are done, take the extra scraps of yarn you have for the stars. You should have 3 pieces of yarn about 3y long. They can be the same color or different colors, that is up to you. Cut each piece in half. Thread one

piece onto your tapestry needle and begin duplicate stitching the “open” spaces on thestar. They are denoted on the chart in pink. Do this for all 6 stars and weave in the ends. Enjoy and keep warm!